BLOUNT ISLAND COMMAND, Jacksonville, Fla. -- Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Logistics) Nick Kunesh visited Blount Island Command on Apr. 1.
The secretary came to Jacksonville to get a closer look at what will soon be the Marine Corps' newest installation.
The commanding officer of BICmd, Col. Carl D. Matter, welcomed the secretary and escorted him during his orientation visit.
The visit focused on familiarizing the secretary with the Marine Corps' Maritime and Geographic Prepositioning Force programs, and their organization and capabilities.
The deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Logistics is the focal point in the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development and Acquisition for all logistics life cycle management activities, and those logistics activities enabling combat operations to be initiated and sustained.
The deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Logistics is also the principal advisor to the assistant secretary of the Navy on all matters pertaining to logistics.
The visit here began with a briefing on both BICmd and the Maritime Prepositioning Force program. The discourse covered BICmd personnel, resources and budget, the condition of Operation Iraqi Freedom equipment, the MPF's future, outsourcing and the forthcoming acquisition of the Marine Corps' leased property aboard Blount Island. In addition, the secretary was afforded the opportunity to meet with key members of the BICmd team and also received an extensive tour of maintenance and port facilities here.
After gaining insight into the acquisition of the prepositioning programs' mission, organization and capabilities, the secretary left Blount Island as an advocate of the programs and the Marine Corps.
"The secretary is interested in improving support to all combatant commanders providing the necessary supplies, faster, better, cheaper," said William H. Newton, deputy director, BICmd. "Mr. Kunesh now has a good perspective on MPF operations."